The present invention generally relates to the field of medical devices. More particularly, the invention relates to a syringe holding system for detachably mounting a syringe on a medical pump. The syringe holding system includes a syringe holder, which can be incorporated into a medical tube set assembly or an infusion system.
The syringe is a medical device that is often used to deliver fluids such as drugs, contrast agents, and the like. In fact, many drugs are prepackaged in syringes for delivery. However, there is a need to hold the syringe in the proper orientation while applying force to the plunger or piston of the syringe to expel fluid.
Some motorized infusion pumps utilize a syringe mounted thereon and a motor driven plunger driver assembly for moving the syringe plunger to expel fluid. The mounting mechanisms are often complex and costly to produce.
Other motorized infusion pumps utilize peristaltic action on a tube or reciprocating action of a driver on the elastic diaphragm of a cassette to deliver fluid. However, even with these pumps there is sometimes a need or desire to use a syringe to give a concentrated bolus, supplement or interrupt an infusion of a primary drug to provide a second drug. Sometimes a second pole stand can be used to hang the syringe or secondary bag, but this requires additional space at the patient's bedside. Such additional bedside space may not be readily available. A caregiver can manually hold the syringe, but this can be tedious, detracts from two-handed caregiver tasks, and is inefficient.
Thus, there is a need for a syringe holding system that is efficient, practical to use, and cost-effective to manufacture.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of a tube set assembly including a syringe holder for detachably mounting a syringe to a medical pump.
These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.